


Understandings

by Titti



Category: Firefly
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-22
Updated: 2005-04-22
Packaged: 2017-12-15 22:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/854507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jayne waits for Mal's return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Understandings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for The Serenity Not-Quite-Now Challenge at http://www.livejournal.com/users/emelerin/103733.html

He ain't no romantic, Jayne tells himself. He likes the girl-folk just fine, but he don't buy no flowers or chocolates for them. Life is hard as it is and the money is always needed on Serenity. Just like now.

Okay, so his savings weren't enough to buy Mal back. He and Zoe had to do the only decent thing possible, and go steal from the rich gent that had been spending time with Inara. It's not like the boy would miss it. They could always give him Inara, and in Jayne's book that's a good trade for all concerned. Maybe Mal would object, but Jayne reckons that he don't have much to say now that he's chained up on some ugly ship.

Mal really needs to make a list of everyone that wants him dead. Be a mighty big list, Jayne thinks.

Jayne sits on a wood crate, cleaning his gun. Not that she needs, he's been makin' love to her and now she's all shiny, but he needs something to do until Kaylee come back with Mal.

Kaylee! He can't believe Zoe agreed to send her, but she said she's in charge and didn't matter what Jayne said. Zoe said bastards wanted her to do the exchange.

Jayne rolls his eyes. Like any honorable kidnapper would kill Mal before getting the money. No, he would wait until later, and that's why Kaylee shouldn't have gone.

But Zoe's in charge, and he's stuck waiting on the ship like some poor girl waiting home for her man. Not that he is a girl, and Mal ain't his man. Not that he'd mind, but he reckons Mal would. He don't fancies a bullet to his head for suggesting something like this.

So he sits quietly waiting for Kaylee to return with Mal. Hopefully.

Then the noise, and Zoe is closing the latch, yelling at Wash, through the ship communication system. "Get us out of here."

She's moving as the ship begins its getaway. Mal is between her and Kaylee and looks like death warmed him over, staggering with each step. Jayne holsters his gun, and takes Kaylee's place, glaring her objections away. "You said she was goin' all alone," he says, the accusation and hurt clear in his voice.

Zoe snorts. "Do you think I'm stupid? No, don't answer that. Help me get the captain to the doc."

"No, you go to the bridge; Kaylee, engine room." Mal's voice is hoarse, and low, and Jayne wonders how much he screamed. Bastards must have done a number on him, or Mal wouldn't have given 'em the satisfaction. "Jayne can help me."

Jayne looks at Zoe and nods. They might like each other, but they are family, and Zoe knows she can trust him, at least when money isn't involved. Jayne tightens his hold around Mal's waist, the other hand holding Mal's hand over his shoulder.

Zoe nods back, and walks away with Kaylee following her. Jayne and Mal are left alone. "C'mon, Doc can fix you up all pretty," he says as he begins to walk slowly.

Mal laughs, but even his laughter sounds pained. "Don't know 'bout pretty."

Jayne looks at him and grins. "I was lyin', but you'll be the ugly bastard you are in no time."

"That's better, might need a new body, though. It's like a horde of wild horses ran me over."

"I wish. We could have sold 'em.... I didn't even get to kill them bastards." When Mal laughs, he stops and groans, and then he wraps his free hand around his ribs to stop the pain, and now Jayne really wants to kill them, after having shot them in the shoulders, then the knees, and then watch them beg for death.

"You'll get your chance." Mal's voice is hard now, and Jayne has never heard Mal so angry, not in a raging manner, but quiet like, like this is personal and can't be forgiven. Jayne isn't sure he likes it, it can't mean nothin' good, and suddenly he doesn't want to know what they'd done to Mal. "Let's get you better first, okay?"

"Yeah, let's give the good doctor somethin' to do." Mal squeezes Jayne's hand, and Jayne frowns. "Thank you for what you did."

"It's money, Mal. I reckon you made me plenty of it in the past, we'll make more."

"Zoe told me what you did. Threatenin' to kill my crew if they didn't let you go ain't getting you on my good side, but I appreciate the sentiment." Mal stops, and it looks like he hurts too much to move, but he turns enough to look at Jayne. "Can't be all caring and such. It gets you killed."

For a moment, Jayne thinks that he might tell Mal about what he feels, but he's still not sure that the bullet won't arrive, so he doesn't tell him. "This mean you won't go after them bastards that did this to you?"

"You bet your gun I'm gonna kill them, but I have people who will keep me rational like, people like Zoe and the Shepherd."

"What about me?"

Mal smiles wickedly. "You'll help me kill them bastard."

Jayne laughs. Maybe he can't tell Mal about what he feels, but for a moment, he wagers that Mal knows anyway. When later, the doctor starts fixing him up, and Mal grips his hand tight, looking at him for support, Jayne knows for certain that he's not the only one feeling something.


End file.
